Synopsis
In a small French town identified as 'anywhere', anonymous poison pen letters are sent by somebody signing as Le Corbeau (the Raven). The letters start by accusing doctor Rémy Germain (Pierre Fresnay) of having an affair with Laura Vorzet (Micheline Francey), the pretty young wife of the elderly psychiatrist Dr. Vorzet (Pierre Larquey). Germain is also accused of practicing illegal abortions. Letters are then sent to virtually all the population of the town, but keep getting back at the initial victim, Dr. Germain. The situation becomes serious when a patient of the hospital commits suicide with his straight razor after the Raven writes to him that his cancer is terminal. Marie Corbin, a nurse in the infirmary, becomes a suspect and is arrested, but soon new letters arrive. Germain's lover Denise is suspected, only for Laura to be identified by material contained in her blotter. Germain agrees to sign an order committing Laura as insane, just before he is called away to a patient. Just as the ambulance takes Laura away, Germain returns and finds Vorzet dead at his desk, his throat cut by the cancer patient's mother as he was writing the Raven's final triumphant letter.
The film is loosely based on a famous anonymous letter case that started in the town of Tulle, Limousin in 1917. Anonymous letters had been sent by somebody signing the eye of the tiger.
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